Nicole Delaquis, 61, has lived in the organization’s care since 1976 and has been given the chance to thrive. Nicole, who has slight mental deficiency and bipolar disorder, lives at the organization’s first home, L’Aîné (French for eldest, first-born) on Rosseau Avenue E. The home opened in 1973.

PHOTO BY DAN FALLOON

L'Arche Winnipeg member Nicole Delaquis (centre) is shown with brother Ron (right) and his wife Janine at the L'Aine home in Transcona.

SUPPLIED PHOTO BY HUBERT PANTEL

L'Arche founder Jean Vanier is shown.

SUPPLIED PHOTO BY HUBERT PANTEL

L'Arche members perform a dance at a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of L'Arche Winnipeg in 2013. The organization is marking 50 years on the international stage this year.

SUPPLIED PHOTO BY HUBERT PANTEL

A celebration at a L'Arche home in 1976 is documented.

Originally from Notre Dame de Lourdes, Nicole came to L’Arche after a brief stay in an institution in Portage la Prairie. She lived on a L’Arche-run farm in Lorette before returning to live in Winnipeg.

Family patriarch Marcel died shortly after Nicole joined the organization, and as mother Florina began dealing with dementia and ultimately succumbing last November, L’Arche gradually played an increasingly important role in family life throughout the years. Nicole’s brother, Ron, observed that his sister was comfortable with her new friends almost immediately.

"After an hour, hour and a half at my mom’s home, Nicole would always be ready to go back to her home," Ron, 63, said. "Right from the get-go, she embraced L’Arche, that was her home."

He has seen the camaraderie grow between Nicole and other residents Tricia, Ross, Ricky, and Clive in their years living together under the same roof along with up to five other live-in caregivers at a time. In addition to friendships with fellow residents and staff, Nicole has a volunteer friend who comes to visit her regularly.

"I like it here," Nicole said. "I like that my room is by Tricia’s room."

All five in the house have been with L’Arche for the better portion of its history in Winnipeg, which began in 1973, and even its overall history. L’Arche was started in France by Canadian Jean Vanier in 1964 when he invited two men with developmental challenges to live with him.

L’Arche Winnipeg community leader Jim Lapp, who is in his second four-year term in the role, explained that attitudes toward people with such challenges have changed in the last 50 years, as they have been better accepted into local communities rather than be institutionalized. In Canada, education is now provided to these individuals, which Lapp said wasn’t the case when he was growing up and is still not available in several countries around the world.

"Almost everyone who’s coming out of schools now has experience with someone with a disability," Lapp, 63, explained over coffee at the L’Arche Tova Café. "I had experience (with a friend’s brother who had been institutionalized in Orillia, Ont.), but most people didn’t have any experience."

Even knowing someone with a disability growing up, Lapp said he gained a much better understanding through his work with the organization, noting that for staff, their job creates a two-way transformative relationship.

"People with a disability are very accepting, and they are also very forgiving," Lapp said. "I was fairly anguished coming out of high school and even university, and there was a healing for me, that acceptance."

Today, there are 131 communities in 34 countries, including 26 in Canada. The Winnipeg community is made up of about 60 members. Lapp said though attitudes among the community-at-large are improving, there is still a long way to go in breaking down social isolation.

"There are people outside of L’Arche who get to know people with a disability, and they’re very touched by them," Lapp said. "But, generally, as a society, we still don’t do that, to make known their gifts."

Lapp said L’Arche has developed its attitudes, too, seeking more feedback from its clients on the direction of the community, including who is named community leader. As well, though L’Arche is a religious organization, it accepts people from all faiths and allows its members to make their own religious choices.

For Nicole, living at L’Aîné is a stark contrast to her time in Portage, which Ron described as "hell" and "a prison".

Also, after observing his mother’s later years living in care, Ron became more impressed with the level of care L’Arche provides.

"There’s something those types of homes could learn from L’Arche about how to look after people," the Wildwood resident said. "All these guys are engaged. They just don’t sit them down and forget about them. They work with them. They talk with them.

"They’re going to Tim Hortons, or going shopping, or to work."

Several L’Arche members are given the opportunity to pursue employment, with ImagineAbility and WASO (Work and Social Opportunities) serving as two of the larger supporters. Residents perform tasks like putting together toasters or sorting recycling.

Another opportunity is to work at L’Arche’s very own Tova Café, which opened at 119 Regent Ave. W, just a block from the L’Arche offices, in 2012. L’Arche members work to greet people at the restaurant, among other duties they perform.

Joyleen Rotich, one of the organization’s two homes co-ordinators, explained there is plenty of leisure time at the homes, and there are activities ranging from game nights to barbecues to visits to Rainbow Stage and local sporting events. Rotich said the organization works to help all its members live as independently as possible in all walks of life.

"They are showing their gifts," said Rotich, who has been with L’Arche for eight years.

Lapp explained the local community has maxed out in terms of size, and said he would like to see seeds sown for a second community in Manitoba, perhaps in west Winnipeg or outside the capital. He hopes to see progress in the next decade, but said expansion is handled cautiously and slowly, keeping in mind Vanier’s humble beginnings.

"If you’re having relationships, how big can you get?" he said. "I would welcome and be looking for (local expansion), but I can’t guarantee that’s going to happen."

L’Arche Winnipeg runs six homes in east Winnipeg and also provides support for two other members living in an apartment.The first home, L’Aîné, was opened in the old Oblate Sisters convent at 420 Rosseau Ave. E. in December 1973. Sister Marie Paradis became the local organization’s founding director.The second home, The Ark (named for the biblical story of Noah and the ark), was opened at 414 Kildare Ave. E. in September 1983. The building was originally a duplex, but was later converted to a single household.A third, Elpida (Greek for “hope”) opened at 20 Cherry Cres. in Windsor Park in July 1986. Three members were transferred from an apartment in St. Vital, and a fourth member was also added to the community.The fourth home, Chimo (Inuit for “welcome”), was opened at 7 Kern Dr. in September 1992. It is located down the street from L’Aîné and helped create more of a family atmosphere in both homes, as three members moved from the original home.The fifth home, The Anchor, started operating at 137 Claremont Ave. in Norwood in March 1993. Residents moved from L’Arche’s Foster Street home in Elmwood, which then closed.The sixth and most recent home, Dayspring, threw open its doors at 525 Day St. in November 2003. The opening resulted in the closure of a rental home located on Munroe Avenue.

-Falloon

L'Arche celebrating 50 years

L’Arche International is getting set to celebrate 50 years of operation with an art show at the L’Arche Tova Café on Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. All artwork will be for sale, with proceeds going to support the organization. As well, there will be a jubilee celebration at East End Community Club (517 Pandora Ave. E.) on Oct. 3 from 7 to 11 p.m. The next morning at 11 a.m., there will be an international event with a video of Vanier speaking about the organization’s continuing importance.

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